Pain
by CloakedDragonWing3721
Summary: Pain is a group of one-shots, mostly between Hiccup and Astrid.
1. Chapter 1

Hiccup had finished packing his bag. The dragon academy was going on a training mission to a small deserted island Snotlout had found. Actually, it was more of a fun camping trip. It was two days after Hiccup had been captured by Outcasts, and his father was driving him mad.

Stoick had become amazingly overprotective, to the point where he had tried to make Hiccup stay in the house. He eventually gave up after Hiccup and Toothless kept sneaking out the back door to teach lessons at the academy.

At first, Stoick hadn't wanted his son to go, but Gobber talked to him, and told him that the island was on the opposite side of Berk from Outcast Island. By the time Alvin could learn where Hiccup was, the dragon riders would be on their way back to Berk.

When Hiccup got to the academy, he found all the other riders all ready there. "Ok, gang, ready to leave?"

"We've been ready for ages, where have you been?" Demanded Snotlout. "Oh, Dad nearly changed his mind again. We should go before he actually does change it."

"Race you there!" Yelled Astrid, her Deadly Nadder launching her into the sky.

-

Once the teens landed, they immediately started setting up camp, working like a well-oiled machine. Mostly. Sort of. Not really.  
Within a minute, the twins were beating each other up. The rest of the gang ignored them.

Nightfall came quickly. The academy members sat around the fire. "I'm bored!" Stated Tuffnut. Before Hiccup could intervene, Snotlout sat up. "I have an idea!"

"A once in a lifetime occasion." Remarked Astrid sarcastically. "Whatever, laugh it up. This idea is brilliant! We should play truth or dare!" The gang all agreed, even though Fishlegs looked nervous.

Since Snotlout had the idea, he got the first dare. Predictably, he made Astrid kiss him. After it was over, Hiccup stared at Astrid. "Sorry, milady, but I'm not kissing you for a week!" Astrid just snorted and washed out her mouth.

Next, Astrid dared Tuffnut to take off his clothes. The daring went on like that, until it was Snotlout's turn again. "I'm daring Hiccup! All of the guys have taken off some of their clothes, it's your turn! Take off your shirt!" Snotlout's main motivation was to show Astrid how scrawny Hiccup was, but he was surprised when all he got was a flat "No."

"Now, Hiccup, you have to! Or are you a coward?!"

Hiccup whirled around and glared at Snotlout fiercely. "Fine! If you're that determined to see, then have a look!" With that, Hiccup took off his shirt. Where everyone had thought he was weak, Hiccup had strong muscles that were well defined and lean. However, the most surprising thing was the scars. "Hiccup, what happened?" Astrid asked softly.

Hiccup pointed to a few small burns and scars. "This is from learning blacksmithing from Gobber. He believes in learning on the job. This," he said as he pointed to a few bigger, older, scars, "was from when I was five. Alvin kidnapped me, and I was a bit too mouthy." The teens were watching him, shocked. Next, Hiccup pointed to some extremely new scars. "And these are from a few days ago, when I refused to train Alvin's dragons."

"Oh, Hiccup." Astrid sighed softly and walked up to the defensive boy and hugged him. "I'm so sorry." "It's not your fault. It's mine, a little bit of Gobber's, and a whole lot of Alvin's."


	2. Chapter 2

A year later, on another camping trip, the gang was woken by a cry of pain. They looked around, only to find Hiccup, laying on the ground, weeping. "Phantom... Pain. I'm... Fine!" Astrid immediately told the other riders to go back to sleep. She then sat down next to Hiccup and rubbed the boy's shoulders, helping him relax. The other riders eventually went back to a restless sleep. The dragon riders could never truly rest while their leader was in pain. After twenty minutes Astrid asked, "Do you want me to take the metal leg off?" Hiccup quickly replied, "No! Yes! I… Really don't want… You to see my leg!"

Astrid frowned. "Would it make you feel better?" Hiccup didn't answer. "I think it would. You just don't want anyone to see it. I'm going to take it off." Astrid slipped off Hiccup's prosthetic. Hiccup immediately gave a frantic moan of "No!," but he relaxed a little bit. The skin under the prosthetic was a huge white scar, a little inflamed and puffy, but otherwise not bad.

"It's fine, Hiccup. It's not the first time I've seen your stump. I saw your leg before it was amputated. It was a mess. Bloody, cut up, broken in three places, burned. There was no salvaging it. I also helped hold you down when they amputated your leg." Astrid shuddered at the memory. "It wasn't just burned off."

The rest of the night went like that, with Hiccup and Astrid exchanging stories about what happened whenever they were separated, what went through their minds when the other was in danger. One thing became apparent. Hiccup always had Astrid's back, and Astrid always had Hiccup's.


	3. Chapter 3

Hiccup fell asleep, but he was having nightmares. Hiccup kept muttering things like, "NO!," "Dad!," "Toothless!," And the horribly heart wrenching one, "Dagur, don't hurt her! Don't hurt Astrid!" It had been over a year since the war with the Berserkers. Yet Hiccup just couldn't let go. Dagur was too crafty, too smart, too- deranged. Hiccup constantly worried about what would happen if Dagur got out of prison.

Apparently, Dagur had a revenge list tattooed on his arm, Hiccup's name being the first. However, Hiccup couldn't care less about himself. He was more worried that Toothless was second, Astrid was third, and his father was fourth.

His worry gave him nightmares. Hiccup had told Astrid that he hadn't had any more dreams for a month. Apparently, one decided to happen now. The gang was having a sleepover at the Dragon Training Academy. No reason other than team building, it was a surprisingly good Ruffnut idea. Of course, now Astrid had doubts.

Hiccup was moaning in his sleep, obviously he was seeing something awful, and there was nothing Astrid could do.

Hiccup walked through a dark wasteland. Suddenly, a door appeared in front of him. Hiccup recognized this door, it was his own front door! Hiccup pushed it open and found…

A sight he had hoped to never see again. There was Dagur, with a sword at his father's throat. Hiccup was helpless. Except, something was different this time. The person being held hostage kept shifting to different people.

First it was Dad, then it was Toothless in chains, then it was Fishlegs, then Gobber, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Snotlout (Snotlout?!), and… Astrid. As if sensing it had hit a nerve, the dream kept the hostage Astrid. No. Not Astrid. Anyone but Astrid! Suddenly Dagur cackled and yelled, "You're too late!" And stabbed the girl.

Hiccup's world shattered. He leapt forward, catching Astrid in his arms. Astrid looked at him sadly, as she died in his arms. "Why did you leave me to die? It's all your fault. And now you're going to lead your so- called friends to defeat! You really are useless. I don't love you. I never loved you!"

Suddenly, Hiccup screamed. The very foundation of the world seemed to break. no, no, no, No, No, NO!

Hiccup woke up. He felt Astrid's arms around him. "A-Astrid? What-" suddenly, Hiccup remembered the dream. He sobbed in horror, yet joy. Astrid was alive! She was okay. He hadn't hurt her.

"Would it help if you told me the dream?" Astrid asked. And then the dam truly broke. Hiccup told Astrid everything. He left nothing out. Not even how heartbroken he had felt when Astrid told him he was useless. "Astrid? Do y-you really think I'm… Useless?"

"No, Hiccup. You're kind, brave, and talented. I love you. No one's going to call you useless ever again, if I have anything to say about it! Not even in your dreams!"

And it was true. Apparently Fearless Astrid Hofferson could scare away nightmares, because Hiccup never dreamt that nightmare again.


End file.
